Friday, November 28, 2014

did you guys go Black Friday shopping today? we went to Best Buy and Ulta yesterday evening, and to the opening of our new PX at 400 this morning. we didn't find any thing super exciting, but i did find a few Christmas presents... and few makeup goodies for me :D

today from the China Glaze Twinkle collection we have... Feeling Twinkly! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). i love that the name of this polish matches up with the name of the collection. it's a fairly dense blue glitter consisting of a couple different sized pieces... i can't quite tell if it's in a sheer blue base or there is just so much micro-glitter it looks blue! i feel like it would take quite a few coats to get it completely opaque on its own, but it builds up quickly over a base color! i used China Glaze Out Like A Light (also a press sample). over the dark greY, Feeling Twinkly has so much depth and sparkle! you could achieve a totally different, lighter look if layered over something like white. like most glitters, this one really comes to life when finished off with a shiny topcoat!

i LOVE this combo! i keep looking down at my nails and smiling... blue remains my favorite color to have on my nails, and these polishes together? perfection!

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving! today has been really fantastic because my brother fixed my laptop :) turns out that Windows was just refusing to play nice with my laptop, so we uninstalled Windows completely and installed a different operating system altogether. it's taking some getting used to, but i'm so happy that i don't have to get a new computer!today's China Glaze Twinkle collection polish is Out Like A Light! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). it's dark greY creme polish that is SUPER opaque. i really could have left it at one coat, but i'm kind of OCD about putting two coats on... i just think everything looks better with two :) it dries shiny on its own, but it's even better with topcoat!two coats Out Like A Light, one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples).

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

i hope that you've all had wonderful days, whether it's a holiday where you are or not! Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

it's SNOWING here in Maryland! i can't even believe it. seriously going to take some getting used to... super glad i had my lesson yesterday. my lesson went really well, Echo and i jumped 2'9 together for the first time... it was great :)today kicks off my reviews of the new China Glaze Twinkle collection! first up we have December To Remember, i gravitated to it immediately. (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review!). it's a blue foil that has pink and reflects... it's lovely! it was kind of a given that i'd like this polish, and i love blue polish and i'm definitely loving the pink and gold that make it special :D it applied easily and is opaque in two coats. you'll want to add a high shine topcoat to bring out all this baby has to offer!two coats December To Remember, one coat China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat. (both are press samples!).

here's a lower light picture... you can see a bit more of the reflects in this one!

you can find China Glaze products in salons and professional beauty stores... my favorite place to buy China Glaze is Sally Beauty Supply!

Ria :)

:: these products are press samples provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

i'm super excited, my brother just got here to visit over the Thanksgiving holiday! since he's here, he gets the dubious honor of filming me in my jump lesson tonight. glad it was changed over to tonight from tomorrow, as rain and ice are predicted for tomorrow. gross!!

today we've got the other Butter London holiday gift set i purchased from their Steampunk Ball Collection... The Post Pout Lippy Liquid Lipstick collection. (if you missed yesterday's review of their Midnight Garden Wink Eye Pencil collection, see it HERE!). it's another great idea for a Christmas present, and priced well at $28. you get four of their Lippy Liquid Lipsticks... which individually retail for $18! fantastic deal. i already had two of these, but it was cheaper to get the set than to buy them individually, so i mean... how could i resist :D just keep reading for arm and on lip swatches!

i really like Lippy Liquid Lipsticks, they are pigmented and long wearing, applying like a lip gloss with a traditional doe foot applicator. they are a touch sticky... which doesn't bother me, but i know a lot of people don't care for that. they do settle in the lines of your lips a bit, which isn't as noticeable in person as it is in the photos... but it does happen. again, it's not enough to bother me! they are also great layered over over other lip products :) my favorite is probably Toff, i carry it in purse at all times because it's neutral and i can slap it on no matter what makeup i'm wearing! Yummy Mummy looks a bit like chocolate milk on me, so i usually wear it over something else.

here's the packaging! the black and gold is so chic.

and the indiviual products!

on arm swatches... remember, i'm super pale, so things always look a bit different on me!

and finally... all the on lip swatches :)

you can find Butter London products at several retailers, my favorites to look for them are Ulta, Ulta.com, and ButterLondon.com! i have only purchased from Ulta (in-store and online), though!

starting in the next post... the China Glaze Twinkle collection! Ria :)

Monday, November 24, 2014

spent all morning cleaning the side porch with Mama Pawlish... it's supposed to snow on Wednesday, so things i'd been putting off had to get done today. we thought our shed had been fixed from all the leaking... but it rained yesterday and it was full of water again. total bummer... so we had to put everything into plastic totes, then covered it with tarps. it's not a good look... but better than having all our stuff ruined!

i've got a great Christmas idea to share with you all today! or just a lovely treat for yourself :) i was super excited to find these... as soon as i heard about them, i knew they had to come home with me and began stalking Ulta. Butter London's holiday collection this year is the 'Steampunk Ball Collection' which consists of several awesome gift sets. this one is the Midnight Gander Eye Pencil Collection, it has five of their full size Wink pencils for the amazing price of $32... one pencil alone retails for $18! i knew i loved these already, and i didn't have any of these colors so grabbing it was a total no brainer.

Butter London Wink Eye Pencils are creamy, pigmented, and extremely long wearing. they set up really nicely and don't transfer on my eyelids. my other favorite eye pencil brand is Pixi (talk about long wearing!), but i can't use those on my waterline because they are too creamy and get on my contacts. i can wear Wink pencils on my waterline AND they last pretty well!

here's a look at the packaging :)

and the pencils themselves. these are the traditional type that you have to manually sharpen.

finally... swatches!

you can find Butter London products at several retailers, my favorites to look for them are Ulta, Ulta.com, and ButterLondon.com! i have only purchased from Ulta (in-store and online), though!

next post will be the other set i got from the Steampunk Ball Collection, The Posh Pout which features four Lippy Liquid Lipsticks for $28! stay tuned! Ria :)

Thursday, November 20, 2014

it's warmed up a little here... my jump lesson yesterday was pretty chilly, though! when you're moving it's not too bad, you're the coldest while you're waiting your turn for sure. today i have dressage, making it up for Tuesday when it was just beyond cold with that wind!

i'm super excited about the lipstick i have to share with you all today... it's Nude from Gerard Cosmetics! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). i have heard of Gerard here and there all over the internet, but it wasn't until i saw gossmakeupartist review them HERE that i was like, man... i have to get my hands on one of those!! i'm a huge fan of Wayne Goss, and really trust his opinion. on his video, there is a code for a discount on some Gerard products :)

the Gerard lipstick in Nude is really gorgeous, a brown toned nude that isn't light enough to look concealery... although i'm not opposed to those, i know most people don't care for that effect. the pigmentation of this lipstick is crazy... a lot of nudes run really sheer, this does not. it effectively covers up your natural lip color, which is generally what i'm looking for! it has an almost (but not quite!) matte finish, which is a touch drying on me... but i have chronically dry lips. if i apply Nude over a balm, i have no issues. it has a fairly traditional waxy lipstick scent, but it isn't very strong, and i don't smell it once it's been on my lips for a little while.

on to the pictures!

here's a look a the tube, it's a traditional lipstick bullet in glossy gold... it's so reflective you can actually see me taking the photo!

and a look at the lipstick itself.

an arm swatch! remember that i'm super fair, so things look darker on me than they would on others :)

finally, a lip swatch! again, things will look different on most people than do on me... i'm on the extreme light side of the skin shade spectrum.

Gerard Cosmetics lipsticks retail for $19 each. you can find them and other products on their website, www.GerardCosmetics.com!

i've never done an on lip swatch before... hope you all found this helpful! stay warm! Ria :)

:: this lipstick is a press sample sent to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

big post today :) it's SO cold here in Maryland, i didn't even have my riding lesson today because the wind chill was in the teens... and the actual temperature is supposed to be 17F tonight! brrrrrrr! hoping the wind won't be blowing so much tomorrow so that we can have our group jumping lesson... i can deal with the cold, but that wind is something else.

i'm super excited to share Pixi's Ultimate Beauty Kit 2nd Edition with you all, this is one fantastic palette! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). this palette has twelve face powders and FORTY eyeshadows... for only $34! it's made out of sturdy cardboard and is a tri-fold design with a magnetic closure.

this is a perfect travel companion as it has everything you'll want to make pretty much any look you can come up with... the only face powder you might need to add to your travel bag would be bronzer, as there aren't really any dark enough shades to contour with. you are definitely covered with highlighters and blushes, though! also, there are matte brown shadows that you could use for contour in pinch :) i recommend using an eyelid primer under these shadows to really bring out all the colors... however, all my swatches are without primer, so you can really see them on their own!

the palette is packaged in a small cardboard box with a picture of the kit itself on the outside, making it easy to find in store at Target.

the front of the palette is very simple and pretty, i really love the gold!

when you open it up, you will see all three flaps... i went ahead and labelled them on this overview shot so that it will be easy to match them up with my closeup shots.

first up we have the left flap of eyeshadows!

these arm swatches match up exactly to the palette :)

the center flap consists of you face powders, with the lightest colors at the top and the deepest at the bottom!

and now the swatches!!

last up is the right flap of eyeshadows, these are much warmer than the ones on the left flap.

here are the final set of swatches :)

let me know how you like the way i swatched these... i went back and forth on what would be the easiest way. i liked this format since the swatches match up exactly with what you see in the palette!

this palette retails for $34! you can find Pixi products at Target stores, www.Target.com, and www.PixiBeauty.com!! THIS is the direct link to the Ultimate Beauty Kit 2nd Edition on Target's website and THIS is the direct link to it on Pixi's website. Target currently has free shipping on all orders, and Pixi is free for $25 and up!

hope you've all enjoyed this look at Pixi's Holiday Collection... i'm so thankful to have been given the opportunity to review it! i have loads of fun makeup and nail posts coming up, so be sure to check back often. Happy Tuesday! Ria :)

:: this palette was provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Friday, November 14, 2014

it is super cold here in Maryland... i'm REALLY missing California right now! can't believe it's only going to get colder. think i'm going to have to get some of those fleece lined breeches to ride in... it's cold enough on its own, and when you get that cold air flowing over you when riding... freezing!

today i have another gift set from Pixi's Limited Edition Holiday Collection to share with you all! this one is their Fairy Dust Favorites in Light Catchers. (it's a press sample, kindly sent to me for review!). this set contains five of their Fairy Dust pigments in a cute little stack... all for the amazing price of $12! the retail price for one pigment is $10... you do get less of each one in the set, but it's definitely still an amazing deal. if you've been wanting to give their pigments a shot, now is the time :)

the set comes with Snow Sparkle (see a post with the Snow Sparkle Fairy Dust single HERE), Gold Dust, Brightening Bare, Mocha Magic, and Copper Sheen. the stack has a lid on the top one, then the remaining pigment jars screw together to act as lids for each other. the drawback to this is you don't get the awesome applicator that comes with the singles... but, for the price, it's worth it!

here's a look at the packaging... love all the gold!

and here's a better look at the pigment jar stack. the colors look a bit more saturated in this shot than they actually are!

the pigments are very soft and light, i was afraid they were going to blow away while i photographing! luckily, there wasn't much wind right then :)

and finally, swatches of each on my skin! so i'm a little goosebumpy, it was super cold! these are much more sparkly in real life than my camera could capture. in the sun, they are sparkly, in lower lighting they have a beautiful sheen!

this set retails for $12! you can find Pixi products at Target stores, www.Target.com, and www.PixiBeauty.com!! THIS is the direct link to the Fairy Dust Favorites in Light Catchers on Pixi's website, and THIS is the direct link to it on Target's website. Target currently has free shipping on all orders, and Pixi is free for $25 and up!

the next post will be the fantastical Ultimate Beauty Kit 2nd Edition, which is a palette with 40 eye shadows and 12 face powders! it will probably be up Monday, Mama Pawlish and i are heading to visit my grandmother tomorrow. what are your weekend plans? Ria :)

:: these products were provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Thursday, November 13, 2014

i am so excited to be able to share Pixi's Limited Edition Holiday collection with you all! we are going to kick off with their Shea Butter Lip Balm Trio in Balmy Winter. (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review!).

the trio retails for $16 which is an amazing deal... you are getting an entire balm free! i've been wanting to try these balms for awhile now, so i was ecstatic when they showed up on my doorstep :) they contain shea butter and vitamin E to help keep your lips moisturized... a must have for the dry, winter months.

i love how smooth these balms are, they go on really easy and have a nice slip without being slimy. they are true balms, so they are pretty sheer and give a basic wash of color... so they work well for a basic makeup day, and also to keep in your purse to be able to swipe on at any moment!

here's what the packaging looks like!

and now a look at the balms themselves.

Comfort Clear is perfectly named... it's a clear balm that gives a slight shine and simply keeps lips nice and soft. Honey Nectar is brown toned nude... this is probably the one i'll be grabbing for the most! love a nude lip :) Ripe Raspberry is a bright berry, it definitely has the most pigmentation on the lips!

and now, the swatches!

as you can see, you just a slight sheen from Comfort Clear! i was hoping to do on lip swatches... but i managed to bust my lip in my riding lesson last night, sorry :( #accidentprone

this set retails for $16! you can find Pixi products at Target stores, www.Target.com, and www.PixiBeauty.com!! THIS is the direct link to Balmy Winter Shea Butter Lip Balm Trio on Pixi's website, and THIS is the direct link to it on Target's website.

stay tuned, two more awesome Pixi holiday sets coming up next! Ria :)

:: these products were provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

today i have my group jumping lesson... hopefully, it will go better than my last jump lesson :) i've got a couple hours before i head out, and i wanted to get this post up before then because i'm always wiped after a jump lesson and i know i won't feel like writing later!today i have Pixi's November Color of the Month to share... Nude Dazzle! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me review). can we just take a moment and reflect on how great a name Nude Dazzle is?! i just love it for some reason :D it's a champagne colored polish in a foil finish... it looks both gold and silver, which makes it super versatile. when outside, this polish gives a really great sparkle! two coats will give complete opacity and a nice rich look. all it needs is a topcoat to seal it in and help it dry, and you are ready for anything from a day with friends to a fancy party :)two coats Nude Dazzle, one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples!).

Pixi polishes retail for $8. you can find Pixi products at Target stores, www.Target.com, and www.PixiBeauty.com!! Nude Dazzle is a limited edition shade that will only be available at PixiBeauty.com while supplies last... so make sure to order soon if it's something you're interested in it :) this is the direct link to the Pixi Beauty Nail Colour page!

coming up next is swatches from Pixi's holiday makeup collections... they are gorgeous and awesome deals! Ria :)

:: these products were provided to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Happy Veteran's Day to all the veterans out there! thank you all so much for your service to this country... you are all so very loved and appreciated!!

today i have the last of the Venique polish i was given for review, this one is Patent Black from their Patent Leather Formula line! yesterday i reviewed Venique Patent Red, which is quite similar in formula to Patent Black. (press samples!). Patent Black is a very rich black creme that i could have gone with just one coat on... but somehow i always just feel better with two! it's not quite as shiny on its own as i would prefer, so i definitely recommend a high shine topcoat... which has the added benefit of extending wear time :)

two coats Patent Black.

you can find Venique nail polish at their website, http://veniquenails.com/! most polishes retail for around $8. i have also seen Venique at one of my local beauty supply stores!

hope you've enjoyed this week of Venique!! Ria :)

:: this polish is a press samples sent to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Monday, November 10, 2014

we finally had some Wendy's for dinner tonight... i've been craving it for months! there isn't a Wendy's super close to our house, so we always opt for something else... glad i finally got their Spicy Chicken Sandwich :D

today i have Venique Red Patent to share with you all! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). Red Patent is part of their Patent Leather Formula, which was created to look like super shiny patent leather on the nail. i like the red this polish dries down to... it's a deep, blood red. this makes an awesome alternative to bright reds for the holidays! it's easy to apply and really opaque in two coats. i left it alone for the swatch and it's pretty shiny, but i would definitely add a high shine topcoat to it for a manicure, which makes it super glossy and has the added bonus of extending wear time!

two coats Patent Red.

you can find Venique nail polish at their website, http://veniquenails.com/! most polishes retail for around $8. i have also seen Venique at one of my local beauty supply stores!

next up... Venique Patent Black! Ria :)

:: this polish is a press samples sent to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Sunday, November 9, 2014

seems like the weather here has finally settled on cold... i wish it could just stay in the Autumn zone forever! winter is definitely coming on... forecast is for major snow come January, but there could be some any time. so weird to be back in all this weather!

today from the Venique 'Tis The Season collection Selfies With Santa (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review!). this is another dense glitter polish in a glitter base... but the glitters themselves are quite different from Venique Lighten Up Ebeneezer (also a press sample). this one is chock full multicolored glitter in different sizes... i see green, blue, silver, gold, pink... and maybe more! while this one isn't quite as full coverage as Lighten Up Ebeneezer, i still found that only two thick coats gave me enough opacity to wear alone :) as with most glitters, a shiny topcoat will bring out all the magic!

Saturday, November 8, 2014

great news... my internet and phone are working again! so, hopefully i won't be running out to Starbucks to blog any time soon :) i hit up Ulta with Mama Pawlish today, Mr. Pawlish was hard at work studying all day... you know he was crushed to miss a trip to Ulta ;)today's polish is Lighten Up Ebeneezer from Venique's 'Tis The Season collection! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review. this polish is a very densely packed gold glitter in a clear base... there are a couple different sizes within the gold glitter, but there is so much of it you don't really notice the differences very much! it's a very full coverage glitter, i tried it first over another polish, but i prefer it by itself. i only used two thick coats and in person you couldn't see any of the nail bed! i used topcoat because it needed help drying, plus, i think all glitters sparkle more with topcoat!two coats Lighten Up Ebeneezer, one coat Salon Perfect Crystal Clear Top Coat. (both are press samples!).

this low light picture really gives you a better look at the glitter particles :)

you can find Venique nail polish at their website, http://veniquenails.com/! most polishes retail for around $8. i have also seen Venique at one of my local beauty supply stores!

hope you are all having fantastic weekends! Ria :)

:: these polishes are press samples sent to me for review. these are my honest opinions. ::

Friday, November 7, 2014

i have been trying to upload this post for over three days! now not only is my laptop failing, we've been completely without internet or phone access those three days. i'm currently at Starbucks in order to get this bad boy uploaded. i kept hoping that it would come back... and the cable company assures us everyday that's it's coming back THAT DAY... but alas, nothing yet! hopefully, i will be able to upload from home tomorrow... if not, guess i'll be trekking back to Starbucks. at least i get a Chai Tea out of it :)

today i have a polish from Venique's 'Tis The Season collection to share... You Kiss 1 Mall Santa, You've Kissed Them All! (it's a press sample, kindly provided to me for review). that's a mouthful of a name for this polish, but it really is beautiful. i absolutely love sparkly finishes, and this one doesn't disappoint. it's a cool raspberry color with a decidedly foil finish... just beautiful. two coats gave me full opacity, i do recommend a topcoat to bring out all this polish has to offer!

Saturday, November 1, 2014

got a press release for the new Twinkle collection from China Glaze to share with you all today! i love getting these sneak peeks in my inbox, i hope you enjoy getting a look at them as much i do :)

SPRINKLE SOME TWINKLE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

‘Tis the season for gathering with friends and loved ones, and dreaming of the future. This holiday season China Glaze® introduces Twinkle, a collection of shades that perfectly capture the spirit of the season, sparkles in the night sky created by glowing lights, the softness of fresh snowfall and visions of the new year. With 11 new shades and one special effects top coat, China Glaze® Twinkle collection also features nail art kits and gift sets perfect for gifting the manicure addict in your life.

China Glaze® Twinkle features 11 new polishes and one effects top coat:

Sprinkle Some Twinkle: Half-moons and French tips glisten using Dancing & Prancing and No Peeking! with nail design guides (MSRP $15.00)

Make this holiday one to remember with the China Glaze® Twinkle collection, available in November 2014 at fine beauty supply stores and salons nationwide including Sally Beauty and Ulta (individual shades MSRP $7.50).

welcome!

thank you so much for stopping by Ria Loves Pawlish! here you'll find loads of nail polish swatches, reviews, and all things nail related. you'll also find posts on stand out products from the entire realm of beauty! hope you enjoy, Ria :)